Ever since I bleached my hair, I’ve been getting a lot of sweet, and oftentimes demanding emails from readers that want to know EVERYTHING about going platinum. I already covered the part about bleaching dark brown hair platinum blonde (I do not recommend you to do this at home), and today, I’m going to share with you just what it takes to keep your bleached hair looking and feeling healthy. And while my hair may not be platinum anymore (it’s definitely a darker grey at the moment), at the end of the day, it’s still bleached hair, and it still demands a lot of maintenance. Below I share with you my (no longer) secret hair routine.

Step 1: Coconut Oil
First, I slather my hair and scalp with coconut oil. Lots and lots of it – until my hair looks wet/greasy all over. I let it sit for about an hour (longer on the weekends). During this hour I do pretty much everything I would do normally – go to the gym, run errands, watch TV…the coconut oil doesn’t really drip anywhere, so you don’t have to be precious about it.

Step 2: Shampoo and Purple Conditioner
Once a sufficient amount of time has passed, I jump in the shower and shampoo my hair thoroughly but gently with cool water (it helps keep your cuticles sealed). I love Moroccanoil’s Smoothing Shampoo, because my hair feels extra silky after. Post-shampoo, I get as much water out of my hair as possible, run a bath, and settle in for some purple goop action. I like to leave purple conditioner in my hair for at least 20-30 minutes to make sure it does as much toning as possible, and seeing how most purple conditioners I’ve tried have a runny consistency, I don’t want to stand in the shower for half an hour waiting for the hot water to run out. So taking a bath is my solution (and an excuse to have some relaxing “me” time). I put lots of purple conditioner in my hair, making sure to saturate the strands from root to tip, and then I sit back and enjoy my bath. If you don’t want to see any amount of purple or grey in your hair, keep your purple conditioner in your hair for 5-10 minutes max…sometimes my hair does pick up a bit of a purpleish tinge to it, but I actually like it. You’ve been warned.

I’ve tried several different purple conditioner brands, and my faves are Davines Alchemic Conditioner, Aveda’s Blue Malva, and Clairol’s Shimmer Lights. Usually, I would just mix Silver Lights into any purple conditioner I was testing out in order to intensify the colour, but it worked best when paired with Aveda. Davines didn’t need much help, but seeing how expensive that stuff is, I’d say give Shimmer Lights a try. Also, both Davines and Shimmer Lights made my hair feel a lot more dry and tangled, while Aveda’s conditioner actually conditioned my hair, so my winning formula at the moment is: Davines + Blue Malva.

Oh, and I almost forgot about a recent fave! I found this super dark bluish purple conditioner at Shoppers, and it’s called Light Blue Shade. I’ve been mixing it with Davines and Blue Malva to get even more purple in my hair. It’s not very moisturizing, but it’s got a great colour pay off, and it’s not expensive either. If you live in Canada, and don’t have access to Clairol’s Shimmer Lights, this is a nice alternative.

As someone with naturally wavy/frizzy hair, I am always on the hunt for hair products that will make my unruly hair look and feel more manageable. So when I was offered the opportunity to try the new Aveda Smooth Infusion Naturally Straight styling creme, I didn’t have to think twice. I was in!

After my first time using the Aveda Smooth Infusion shampoo, conditioner, and styling creme, I was hooked! Even after one application, the three easy-to-use products left my hair feeling softer, shinier, and yes, smoother. And two weeks later, my natural wave was practically gone. Don’t get me wrong, I still had to use a hair straightener to achieve the truly straight and smooth look, but most of my work was already done for me by the hair products I was using. And the best part was that even on hot, humid days, my hair stayed straight and frizz-free!

Aveda Smooth Infusion Naturally Straight styling cremepromises to progressively straighten curls with every use, and it definitely delivers. Organic cassava root helps form a barrier against intense humidity to help you battle frizz, while the plant-derived fibers help create a locking layer to help you keep your hair straight longer.

After about 2 months of using Aveda Smooth Infusion line on my hair, I took part in a little photoshoot, showcasing my smooth, straight locks, among other curly-haired Torontonians. You can check out everyone’s incredible results below.

But that’s not all! If like me, you need a little help with your frizzy locks, make sure to enter our Aveda Smooth Infusion giveaway below. You could win a three-month supply of Aveda Smooth Infusion Naturally Straight styling creme – that’s enough to get you through the hottest and the most humid of summer days. Sounds good? Enter after the jump!

If you follow me on Instagram, you may have seen a few sneak peek photos I took at the eLUXE showroom last week. Well, the secret’s out! The lovelies from the Canadian e-tailer eLUXE invited a few of Toronto’s top fashion bloggers to pick out their fave Spring 2014 pieces and style them for the website’s lookbook, shot by the very talented photographer Vincent Lions. I was super stoked to be invited!

The photoshoot was a blast. The amazing Aveda Canada team did our hair and makeup, and I to shoot with some of my favest blogger buds Sharon and Gracie. Did I mention that we had a blast?!

For my look, I chose the stunning bodycon Clover Canyon neoprene dress, topped by a Tibi tweed jacket, and the most perfect white ela clutch. The outfit was very “me” – colourful and optimistic. It felt awesome not having to wear tights, and to have a summery braided do – summer may still be a few months away, but at least I got a taste of it last week.

If you still haven’t, make sure to check out eLUXE’s fun spring lookbook for a selection of covet-worthy pieces modelled by Toronto bloggers. Let me know what you think in the comments!

Spring time is here, which means spring cleaning of my beauty junk. While trying to get rid of the useless and half-empty products as well as organize my favorite ones, I came to realize that so much has changed in just one year…some products I don’t use any more, some are newbies that I might grow to love and cherish, and others – oldies, but goodies are still taking up their deserved space near the sink year after year. And while, I understand that what works for me might not necessarily work for others, I thought I’d share some of my old and new favorites!

Thanks to a recent free sample, I have rediscovered the simplicity of soap bars! I’ve always been a shower gel kind of girl, but decided to give Dove Beauty Bar a go…and I’ve been hooked ever since. This soap lathers up quite nicely, and leaves my skin feeling soft and moisturized even before I apply the lotion! My skin does not feel dry, and I even use it to wash my face once in a while. Once I’m done with my white bar, I think I’ll try the Go Fresh Energize bar for that boost of grapefruit scent! Plus, every Dove purchase supports Dove Self-Esteem Fund, which aspires to educate girls and women about a wider definition of beauty.

Blackheads! Eeek. I don’t really have a problem with those disgusting black spots, and I credit this super gentle scrub. I use it daily in the morning, and haven’t had any blackheads for a while now. Hooray!

As you might remember, Al and I were invited to the Dermalogica Beauty Junkies skin class and were given some samples to play with. Well, this Cleansing Gel has since become my favorite. Love how gentle it is on the skin! Yet it leaves my skin feeling squeaky clean. As I use the Neutrogena Scrub in the morning, I only use the Cleansing Gel at night.

Have been using this lotion for years now. Make sure you have a skin conversation with a Clinique consultant before committing to a number (1, 2, or 3), because though you might believe that you have dry skin, it might in fact be combination (and vice-versa). I always thought I’d need number 2, but was recommended a 3 instead, and have not been breaking out since. This one is a staple.

Another Dermalogica fave is the Skin Smoothing Cream. Have been using it for a couple of weeks now and am hooked. Rich and thick, it goes smooth on the skin, absorbing almost immediately, leaving my skin feeling lush and hydrated. Love it so much! Now if only it came with a built-in sunblock, I’d never need another moisturizer ever again.

I love the smell of grapefruit. And according to a study by the Smell and Taste Institute in Chicago, male volunteers cited those women with the grapefruit scent up to six years younger than their actual age. Not that I have to worry about my age, but still…pretty cool. I only bought this scrub recently, and so far, I’d say it does the job. Oh, and did I mention that it smells great?

Every time I make a trip to the Aveda salon, I am coaxed into buying something. I really shouldn’t complain, because the products really are top-notch, if slightly pricey. Last year I purchased Aveda Smoothing Fluid and have been in love with it ever since. At first, I really disliked its smell, but now I can hardly notice it. This super lightweight serum definitely smoothes away any frizz, leaving hair smooth and not at all greasy. This one’s a keeper.

Conditioners don’t seem to last in my bathroom. I probably have used every product on my poor hair and still I keep searching. In the meantime, I really like Infusium Conditioner for dry hair. The moment you put it in your hair, you’ll see what I’m talking about – the richness of the conditioner soaks into the hair, leaving it hydrated and easy to manage. So far, so good.

This shampoo is fairly new to my bathroom, I tend to switch my hair products fairly often, but I do see potential in this Organix Shampoo. Other than the fact that it leaves my hair silky smooth, I adore the way my hair smells after I use it – coconutty and tropical. It’s like a piña colada for the hair. Yum!

It’s the good-enough-to-eat smell that keeps me hooked on this lotion. Plus the texture is silky and not greasy – just the way I like it. Have been using this lotion for years, and still can’t get enough. Perhaps, I’m in love?

One of my very good friends works for Clinique and is always happy to offer advice on any skin problems I might have. One of those problems for me is excessive sun damage freckles under my eyes. I’ve been pretty bad at using the Even Better Skin Tone Corrector – it’s supposed to diminish the appearance of dark spots if used with sunscreen for 4 weeks. As I’ve been quite inconsistent with application of the corrector, I can’t say that my freckles are now less prominent – they aren’t. But I love the texture of this product and will definitely try to be more consistent with its use. Perhaps, I’ll report on the success/failure of the Skin Corrector in a few months.

As I mentioned, some of my beauty problems is dark circles under my eyes and excessive freckles underneath. Well, All About Eyes Concealer, as recommended by my friend, has become one of the oldie-goodies in my makeup bag – covers up my dark circles and freckles without making my face look cakey and overly made-up. You can still see the freckles peeking through, but I really don’t mind.

13. Baby Wipes

I used to buy Ponds and Garnier makeup remover towelettes to effectively remove eye-makeup without excessive rubbing, but at $8 or so a pop (for a pack of 20-30) they became an expensive necessity. Baby wipes are perhaps not as chic, but are definitely cheaper ($3 for a pack of 80 at Walmart) and are just as gentle. Have been using them for a little over a year now, and am never going back to the beauty brands’ towelettes. Waste of money, if you ask me.

Now I obviously know that Maxx Scoop is not a beauty product…duh! But, ever since the wonderful folks at Matchstick sent me and my cat Pepper a few coupons for the Small Spaces kitty litter, my bathroom has been smelling like roses…seriously! If you have a cat and live in an apartment or another type of small space, Maxx Scoop is pretty wonderful – clumps well, offers great odour control, and emits less dust than other brands’ litter (and I’ve tried a lot of different types!). All in all, Maxx Scoop Small Spaces has made my bathroom feel much more comfortable both for me and Pepper. If you are interested in checking it out, click here to grab a coupon for $1 off your next Maxx Scoop litter purchase. Your bathroom and your kitty will thank you.

WHAT I WORE

WHO IS NELIA?

Nelia Belkova is a Toronto-based fashion and lifestyle blogger by night and a financial analyst by day. She loves to travel, read gossip sites, eat sweets, and cuddle up to her husband and her cat on the couch. Read More…